Gou Zai Xi You Dao Chang Sheng

Li Yan bowed: "This disciple has gained much."

Only by witnessing the might of Heaven can one realize one's own insignificance.

Observing the tribulation process reveals the difficulty of becoming an immortal.

In the future, I will be even more diligent in my spiritual practice.

Upon hearing this, the patriarch nodded and smiled.

With a gentle flick of the whisk, a profound Daoist diagram appeared in the void.

The image is divided into nine layers, resembling a tower or a building, yet also like layers of blooming lotus flowers.

"The Nine Heavens are the nine realms that are in harmony with the Dao of the Cave Heavens."

The patriarch said slowly, "Each level is a transformation of the inner world."

"The first level is the realm of a small space."

The patriarch pointed to the bottom layer of the Dao diagram.

It was a hazy, chaotic scene.

A tiny point of light at the center, like a mustard seed hidden in Mount Sumeru.

"In this realm, the space of Niwan (a point on the dantian) begins to open, the star map begins to appear, and the earth's veins begin to solidify."

The primordial spirit sits in the center, like a hen incubating eggs, nurturing the innate essence.

Reaching this level of cultivation can extend one's lifespan by three hundred years.

Once the inner landscape is complete, it can draw upon external stellar energy and earth energy to nourish oneself.

"The second level, the realm of dust."

The second layer of the map lights up.

The chaotic glimmer of light spread out, transforming into a swirling vortex of mist.

Within the cyclone, starlight intertwines with the yellowish-brown airflow.

"The energies of the stars and the earth merged, and the grotto-heaven expanded to the size of a speck of dust."

At this time, the grotto-heaven began to possess the ability to absorb and release spiritual energy, which could slowly refine the spiritual energy from the outside world and nourish the cultivators.

The primordial spirit can reside in a grotto for a short time, and can wander outside the body without dispersing.

His lifespan will increase by another five hundred.

The patriarch looked at Li Yan:

"You have now reached the threshold of the Microcosm Realm, and the rudiments of the star map and earth veins have taken shape."

What's lacking is the power of enlightenment.

Li Yan's mind raced.

The small grotto within the Niwan Palace truly resembled a vortex of air.

The starlight and the earth element intertwine, yet the formation is not yet firmly established.

"The third level, the realm of a mustard seed."

The third layer of the Dao diagram solidified the vortex, transforming it into a point of light.

The faint outlines of mountains and rivers can be seen inside.

"The grotto-heaven is formed from qi, and is as stable as a mustard seed."

At this time, miniature mountains and rivers, and illusory shadows of plants and trees can be manifested within the cave.

Although there are no real living beings, it already contains the potential for creation.

The primordial spirit resides within it, feeling as if it were a fish in water, and its perception of the outside world is greatly enhanced.

His lifespan will increase by eight hundred.

"The fourth level is the realm of blessed land."

In the fourth layer of the Dao diagram, the light spot burst open, transforming into a small world.

There are rolling hills, babbling streams, and starlight representing the revolving sun and moon.

"The cave has expanded to a hundred feet, containing spiritual veins that form their own cycle."

It is a blessed land where spiritual plants can be planted and lower spiritual insects can be bred.

The primordial spirit can practice supernatural powers here and reflect upon itself.

His lifespan will increase by 1,200 years.

"The fifth level, the realm of grotto heavens."

On the fifth floor, that space expands further.

The mountains and rivers are clearly visible, and the stars are arrayed in the sky.

"The grotto-heaven is a thousand feet in diameter, and its laws are gradually complete. The four seasons cycle, and the wind, rain, darkness, and light change."

It can accommodate low-level spirit beasts and can also guide low-level spirit souls to reincarnation.

The primordial spirit resides here, like the master of the world; with a single thought, wind and rain arise.

His lifespan was extended by two thousand years.

As the patriarch spoke, his gaze swept over the two who were listening attentively.

Sun Wukong scratched his face and suddenly interjected:

"Master, how do these nine levels of the grotto heaven correspond to my old Sun's nine-turn golden core and nascent soul transformation?"

What about their combat strength?

The patriarch smiled slightly:

"The Golden Elixir undergoes nine cycles, with the key being its condensation and refinement."

"Each transformation and tribulation involves the continuous tempering and purification of the three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit, ultimately leading to the breaking of the elixir and the birth of the infant spirit—a transformation from the inside out."

"The transformation from Nascent Soul to Deity is about differentiation and control."

"The Nascent Soul is the second primordial spirit. High-energy chapter 34, Ancestral Master's Daoist Diagram, Nine Heavens of the Grotto-Heaven (First Update)," updated! Read now: . Can cultivate and fight independently.

Once the nascent soul and the divine sense of the original body are completely integrated, the transformation into a divine being is complete, and one can begin to sense and manipulate the laws of heaven and earth.

He pointed to the diagram:

"The nine layers of grotto heavens are important for their opening and development."

"One layer, one world; it is an expansion from small to large."

From a tiny, insignificant space to a blessed land, it eventually evolved into a real world.

As for the corresponding response... it can be roughly viewed as follows:

The first level of the grotto-heaven (square inch) corresponds to the first to third stages of the Golden Elixir, when the primordial spirit is first conceived and the inner landscape begins to open.

The second level of the grotto-heaven (microscopic dust) corresponds to the fourth to sixth level of the Golden Elixir. When the grotto-heaven is formed, the primordial spirit can leave the body for several days.

The 【Three Levels of Grotto-Heaven (Mustard Seed)】correspond to the 【Seventh to Ninth Stages of Golden Elixir】. The Grotto-Heaven is solidified, the primordial spirit is stable, and the threshold of Nascent Soul has been reached.

The four levels of the Grotto-Heavens (Blessed Lands) correspond to the early to mid-stages of the Nascent Soul stage. The Grotto-Heavens are imbued with spirit, and the primordial spirit can reside there to cultivate.

The fifth level of the Grotto-Heaven corresponds to the stage from the late Nascent Soul stage to the Deity Transformation stage. The laws of the Grotto-Heaven are gradually completed, and the primordial spirit begins to merge with the world.

Sun Wukong blinked: "What about combat strength?"

The patriarch stroked his beard:

"The path of Golden Core and Nascent Soul lies in one's own great strength."

"The power of the elixir is profound, and the nascent soul is agile."

In magical combat, their supernatural abilities change swiftly, and they are incredibly powerful in close-quarters fighting.

Especially for you, Wukong, who are pursuing the path of physical immortality, your physique is your strongest weapon.

"The way of the grotto heavens excels at leveraging the power of heaven and earth."

"Within this grotto, I am the master, and I can mobilize the power of the world to suppress my opponents."

Even when outdoors, one can unleash a phantom of a celestial realm, forming a domain to weaken enemies and amplify one's own power.

His gaze turned to Li Yan:

"In terms of burst damage and close combat, at the same level, a Cave Heaven cultivator may not be as agile and fierce as a Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivator."

"But in terms of endurance, defense, trapping enemies, and assisting cultivation, the advantages of the Cave Heaven cultivators are obvious."

Especially its ability to save one's life.

Li Yan's eyes lit up.

This is exactly what Gou Dao needs.

Fighting is not the goal; survival is the fundamental objective.

Once the cave opens up, the domain becomes self-contained; if you can't win, you can hide; if you can't outlast someone, you can run away.

If necessary, it can also be closed to let... cough cough, to protect oneself.

The patriarch continued to instruct:

On the sixth level of the Dao diagram, that cave-heaven expanded rapidly.

The mountains and rivers within are magnificent, and life thrives there.

Even the sun, moon, and stars move on their own.

"The grotto-heaven spans tens of thousands of miles, and its laws are basically complete."

It can give rise to beings with lower levels of intelligence.

The primordial spirit is completely integrated with this world, and can change the world with a single thought.

At this point, the cultivators of the grotto-heaven realm were comparable to celestial immortals, with lifespans measured in tens of thousands of years.

"The seventh level, the middle thousand realm."

On the seventh level, the grotto-heaven expanded once more, revealing a vast starry sky, a sprawling continent, and sparks of civilization scattered throughout.

"The grotto-heaven is like a real world with complete laws, where immortal spiritual energy can be born."

The primordial spirit is the Heavenly Dao, capable of establishing rules. This realm has already touched the threshold of the Golden Immortal.

"The eighth level, the realm of the Great Thousand Worlds."

The eighth layer of the Dao diagram is a boundless cave heaven, containing three thousand small worlds, layer upon layer, endlessly regenerating.

"A single thought can give rise to and destroy life, and thus the cycle of reincarnation begins."

This realm is comparable to that of a Great Luo Golden Immortal; as long as the grotto-heaven remains, the primordial spirit will be immortal.

"The ninth level, the realm of chaos."

In the final layer, the Dao diagram returns to its original simplicity, returning to a state of chaos.

But within that chaos lies boundless vitality and possibility.

"The grotto-heaven returned to chaos, with no inside or outside, no big or small."

Within the chaos, heaven and earth can be recreated, and one can also transform into all things.

At this point, one has reached the realm of a Primordial Golden Immortal, almost to the point of coexisting with the Dao.

Li Yan was deeply moved by what he heard.

The nine layers of the grotto heavens hold such a vast and promising future.

Sun Wukong scratched his head in amazement:

"Goodness, senior brother, if you cultivate this path to the end, you'll become a universe in yourself!"

Wouldn't that be even more formidable than my old Sun's fighting and killing?